Officials raise awareness of new law in child month

CNS): The 17th annual observance of Child Month which begins today urges the local community to Care, Advocate, and Protect children. To raise public awareness the community affairs ministry the department of children and family services and the family resource centre (FRC), have planned a month of public information and education events. These range from readings, to swimming and board games, along with sessions on parenting, and the newly introduced Children’s Law, which seeks to protect children’s welfare and individual rights.

The law covers parental responsibility and gives guidelines for children’s and foster homes; the management of emergency protection for children from abuse; the provision of secure accommodation for children; guardian responsibility, and addressing complaints by, or on behalf of, a child.

Dwayne Seymour, the community affairs minister said the law ties in with this year’s Child Month theme making it a suitable subject for public education sessions.
“This legislation improves the level of protection for children, corrects unfair practices and closes loopholes. It also provides a structure that will help us as a government, as a society and as parents to ensure that everything that we do reflects the value of our children,” Seymour said.

The Child Month agenda also includes the observances of a day for Teen Pregnancy Prevention, as well as International Day for Stand Up to Bullying, on May 3 and May 25 respectively. During some of the activities, participants will also learn about the different services and resources available for the benefit of children.

“We owe it to ourselves to nurture and nourish our children. How we treat them is key to the future development of this country,” Seymour added.

The DCFS’s Child Month Coordinator, Cassandra Parchment said the annual event aims to provide relatives and other adults with the resources that they need to be good role models to children every day of every month – but especially during May.   A copy of the Children’s Law can be found online at www.dcfs.gov.ky. For a full list of Child Month events or for more information, contact DCFS at 946-0024, or email cassandra.parchment@gov.ky.

See minister’s message and calendar of events below